In Xenophon’s Memorabilia, Socrates is said to have claimed that much of the good life is constituted by the reading of good books with friends. That being the case, the handing down of the good life from the reading of good books between fathers and sons is invaluable. It is to that end that I have put together a list of twelve great books that fathers and sons can read together, and which will be supplemented by questions to reflect upon to guide the reading.
The first group of six books is concerned with fathers and sons in war and fathers and sons in school. We will begin chronologically with Homer, working our way through the Iliad and the Odyssey, followed by Xenophon’s Anabasis and the Education of Cyrus. From there, we will then read Aristophanes and Plato have to say about Socrates. I will provide each list of questions to guide your reading sporadically over the next several months. The point is not to read quickly, but to read together.
Homer — Iliad & Odyssey
Xenophon — Anabasis & Education of Cyrus
Aristophanes — Clouds
Plato — Apology of Socrates